Is Genghis Khan originated in Yamagata Zao? Why is it attracting attention from all over the country? [Yamagata Prefecture]

The Zao mountain range is part of the Ou Mountains, which stretch north to south through the center of the Tohoku region, and is considered a complex volcano group on the border between Miyagi and Yamagata prefectures. At the foot of both prefectures, there are a wide variety of spots, including hot springs and ski resorts, and it is considered one of the main tourist destinations in both prefectures

Tohoku Rokken Trivia Media NEFT

[Zao Town, Miyagi Prefecture] The emerald green "Okama" lake is an explosion crater! Experience the power of life and death

https://jp.neft.asia/archives/4345

Miyagi Prefecture is famous for its hot springs, skiing, and frost-covered trees. However, its most iconic spot is "Okama." This is not a rice cooker, but a giant natural cauldron. It is a volcanic crater, a rare place where you can see a stunning emerald landscape. Zao Sunrise also became a hot topic for a time for its resemblance to Lake Itomori, featured in the hit movie "Your Name." This time, we'll introduce you to this symbolic Miyagi spot, Okama. What is Zao's Okama? Okama is a crater lake formed by a volcanic eruption. Crater lakes are formed internally...

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Zao is one that most residents of both prefectures have likely visited at least once. On the Miyagi side, there are many ranches, farms, and hot springs, and when it comes to food, Zao cheese is probably famous, right?

But did you know that Zao in Yamagata Prefecture is famous for Jingisukan? It is even the birthplace of Jingisukan . This time, I actually visited Zao in Yamagata and visited the restaurant where Jingisukan originated, so I would like to introduce why it is said to be the birthplace of Jingisukan and the Jingisukan I actually tried.

The birthplace of Genghis Khan? Genghis Khan in Zao, Yamagata?

There are many "birthplaces of _____" across the country, and various regions across the country claim to be the birthplace of Genghis Khan. Within the Tohoku region, Tono in Iwate Prefecture is said to be the birthplace, but there are many things that are not clear enough to clarify the exact historical facts, and there are people who are still researching it. There is a reason why Yamagata's Genghis Khan should also be called the "birthplace of Genghis Khan."

Wool production in Zao, Yamagata

There is a big reason why Jingisukan, a uniquely Japanese method of cooking lamb, became available in Yamagata Zao in the first place. The reason is that in the early Showa period, many Burmese sheep were raised in the Yamagata Zao area by farmers for wool production

At the time, the Yamagata Zao area was said to have been booming with wool production, but after the war, the spread of synthetic fibers such as vinyl caused wool prices to plummet, making wool production and sheep farming difficult

From wool production to sheep-eating culture

Meanwhile, Tadaemon Saito from Yamagata Prefecture, who served as the chairman of the Japan Burmese Sheep Association, traveled to Mongolia to exchange Burmese sheep-raising techniques, where he experienced a dish in which lamb was placed on a disc-shaped iron helmet with a raised center and grilled

When he returned to Japan, he was inspired by the Mongolian lamb dish cooked in an iron pot, and commissioned the Yamagata Foundry to make an iron pot. This led to the idea of ​​Genghis Khan becoming a specialty dish of Zao Onsen

After that, the iron pot was further improved, and the proprietresses of the inns in Zao Onsen were taught how to make the sauce, which helped to popularize the dish, and it became widely enjoyed

It was then included on the menu at the National Athletic Meet Winter Tournament held in Yamagata in 1959, and was well received by ski athletes, many of whom bought meat and hotpots to take home. This was the opportunity for Yamagata's Jingisukan to become known nationwide

Genghis Khan Shiro, the birthplace of Genghis Khan in Zao, Yamagata

Jingisukan Shiro , located in Zao Hango, Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture, is said to be the restaurant where Yamagata Zao Jingisukan originated

The first owner was Saito Chuemon from Yamagata Prefecture, who was the chairman of the Japan Burmese Sheep Association, and the restaurant is said to have opened in 1954. As mentioned above, Saito Chuemon went to Mongolia to exchange sheep-raising techniques and experienced a dish in which lamb meat was grilled on a disc-shaped iron helmet. After returning to Japan, he asked Yamagata Foundry to make an iron pot for him, and held numerous tasting events and went through repeated trial and error to recreate the dish

That's right. The iron pots made specifically for Genghis Khan, which are now commonplace, are said to be the originals made by Yamagata Casting, modeled after iron helmets

For this reason, it is no exaggeration to say that Yamagata Zao is the birthplace of Jingisukan. In fact, Jingisukan pots from past generations are displayed at the entrance to Jingisukan Shiro

When it was first developed, it was disc-shaped like the current one, with a flat surface and gaps, but it was prone to burning and produced a lot of smoke when the oil came into contact with the charcoal fire

This is an improved version of the first model, and it has been improved by creating an uneven surface to allow oil to flow into grooves on the outside to prevent it from burning, but it seems that this did not prevent smoke from being produced

After repeated trial and error, this third-generation Jingisukan pot is still in use today. While retaining the unevenness of the second-generation pot, it is said that the smoke problem has been greatly reduced by eliminating the gaps

The appeal of Zao Jingisukan is not just hotpot!

Now that we've given a brief explanation of Yamagata Zao Jingisukan, we'll move on to tasting it

It was my first time at the restaurant, so I honestly had trouble deciding what to order. I love Genghis Khan, but it's not something I'm used to eating. I decided I had no choice but to trust the "recommended" items on the menu and order them

The menu features a wide variety of items, including set menus, a la carte dishes, and weekday-only dishes such as hot noodles, lamb rice bowls, and minced lamb rice bowls

Looking through the menu, I saw that the recommended dish was the "Genghis Khan Special + Set Meal." Set meals were also available for the "Genghis Khan Regular" and "Beef Yakiniku," but the difference between the "Regular" and "Special" was that "Regular" was frozen and "Special" was fresh

Thinking that this place had to be "special", I decided to order the "special Genghis Khan + set meal" shown in the photo above

Just look at this premium raw meat, the perfect balance of lean meat and oil, it's bound to be delicious

And the side dishes that accompany the set meals are not just meat, they are also very tasteful

The set meal that day came with rice, miso soup, and three side dishes. The pickled eggplant and okra were of course delicious, but personally, the bitter-sweet side dish of bitter melon and egg was especially delicious. I think it paired perfectly with the Genghis Khan. I later checked the Genghis Khan Shiro website and found out that the rice and vegetables are grown on their own farm, so they're no wonder they're delicious. It's also nice that the side dishes are seasonal

Now it's time to eat the main course of Jingisukan and vegetables. I'm not used to it so I'm not sure if I'm cooking it correctly, but I first spread oil all over the heated Jingisukan pot, place the vegetables that don't cook easily on the edge of the pot, and then cook the meat on top of the grooves. Just be careful not to overcook it; I personally like it half-cooked, so I eat it when it changes color

Then, dip it in their special homemade sauce and eat it. Yep, absolutely delicious. I haven't had much Jingisukan before, but this is definitely the best I've ever had. It's so refreshing and delicious that I wonder if it even surpasses beef, pork, and chicken. It's only lightly spicy, but the tangy heat is addictive. Ah, I want to drink beer

The vegetables are also incredibly delicious, with the oil from the lamb seeping through the grooves. I know it's hard to explain, but I've said it many times, but all I can say is that it's delicious. Is this normal for people from Yamagata? Have they known about it for a long time? I love Yamagata soba and ramen, so why didn't they tell me about it?

While I was thinking about this, I finished the whole thing in no time. The lamb was refreshing and I could have eaten as many pieces as I wanted, but since I was alone today, I decided to limit myself to this amount

Thank you for the meal

Next time, I would like to invite two or three friends from Yamagata City to come to the restaurant and try out various individual menu items

Information (Genghis Khan Shiro)

• Address: 266-10 Zaohango, Yamagata City, 990-2305
• Closed: Every Thursday, 2nd and 4th Sunday
  • *Open on Sundays only for lunch (11:00-14:00)
• Business hours: Lunch: 11:00-14:00 Dinner: 17:00-20:00 (last order)
• URL: http://www10.plala.or.jp/jingisukanshiro/index.html

Google Map

summary

Genghis Khan in Zao, Yamagata, and "Genghis Khan hotpot" developed from sheep farming that took advantage of the local characteristics of Zao. This food has become so rooted in daily life that it is no exaggeration to call it a "local dish." Of course, there are multiple places in other prefectures and regions that are said to be the birthplace of Genghis Khan, so I cannot say with certainty that "Yamagata is the absolute birthplace," but the origin of Genghis Khan hotpot and its deliciousness are genuine

One of the attractions of Yamagata Zao Jingisukan is that it originally developed from sheep farming, and the ranch also runs a yakiniku restaurant, so you can eat fresh meat

Please come and experience it for yourself

I'm thinking that this will be a good opportunity to go to Tono next and investigate the mystery of Genghis Khan

Editorial staff

I'm a member of the Neft editorial team. I love alcohol, music, and traveling, so I indulge in some drinks after work on weekdays, and on weekends, if I have free time, I travel to nearby areas.
I work hard every day with the goal of eventually traveling overseas to find connections to Tohoku through NEFT reporting.